Yearly Archives: 2012

Happy New Year

January 1~New Year’s Day – The first day of the New Year is a federal holiday.  For many people, January first also means making a New Year’s resolution.  The most common being to lose weight/get in shape, stop smoking and get organized.  What is yours and how do you plan to achieve it?

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In some communities families visit each other for New Year’s Day brunch and lots of watching football bowl games.  There are five “bowl” games today, including the Outback Bowl in Tampa Florida, The Rose Bowl in Pasadena California  and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.  To learn about football visit http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/football.asp

Learn to say Happy New year in these languages heard in our clusters
* Chinese (Cantonese) – Sun nien fai lok
* Chinese (Mandarin) – Xin nian yu kuai
* Danish – Godt Nytår
* Dutch – Gelukkig nieuwjaar
* French – Bonne année
* Gaelic – Aith-bhliain Fe Nhaise Dhuit
* German – Gutes Neues Jahr
* Hebrew – Shanah tovah
* Italian – Buon Capo d’Anno
* Norwegian – Godt Nyttår
* Polish – Szczesliwego Nowego roku
* Portuguese – Feliz ano novo
* Romanian – La Multi Ani
* Russian – S Novym Godom
* Spanish – Feliz Año Nuevo
* Swedish – Gott Nytt År
* Turkish – Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
* Welsh – Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Fun Indoor Activities

Tea Party Day:  Mix up some warm cocoa or milk and invite the dolls or stuffed animals for a tea party

Treasure Hunt!:  Pretend you are all on a desert island looking for treasure. Make a map or place clues around the house leading the children through the hunt. This can be done with pictures for non-readers – draw a picture of the television, then at the television place a picture of the stove. At the stove place a picture of a bed, and so on to the end. The “treasure” can be a treat to eat, or a new game to play.   Read books about pirates to add to the fun.

Build a playhouse today:  Find a box from a large appliance and turn it into a playhouse to use indoors. Cut windows and a door. Furnish it and decorate it as you wish.

Make a fort today:  Use blankets and couch cushions to make a fort and play inside.  Don’t forge to put everything away!

Make a picture frame :  Glue 4 Popsicle sticks (available in craft departments) in a square to make a frame. Decorate the frame with glitter, lace, yarn, feathers, stickers, confetti or whatever you have on hand. Mount a picture from the back and be sure to date it! You can also glue a magnet on from the back so that the picture can hang on the refrigerator. (This activity is suitable for children 3 and older)

Fun Activities all Winter long

ABC’s of Winter Fun

A is for Art – try drawing, painting or gluing
B is for Baking – bake a dessert together for dinner
C is for Clay – Use non-hardening clay or play dough to shape and mold
D is for Dance – put on a lively tape
E is for Exercise – be sure to get some everyday
F is for Friends – invite some over
G is for Greenhouse – find a local greenhouse to visit to enjoy the sights and smells
H is for House – make a playhouse from a large appliance box
I is for Ice skating – take the children to Longshore Ice Skating rink www.wpalrink.com to skate outdoors or the Shelton Sports Arena for indoor skating, laser tag, and baseball

J is for Jigsaw puzzle – be sure to pick one that isn’t too difficult or make your own by cutting up a magazine picture
K is for Kitchen science – try a safe experiment
L is for Library – borrow some new books, videos and DVDs, listen to a concert or participate in a story time or nursery rhyme class
M is for Movie – make one with a video camera, or watch one
N is for Necklace – make one out of cereal or macaroni
O is for Origami – learn to make simple paper creations
P is for Puppets – socks make easy and fun puppets – put on a show!
Q is for Quiet Time – everyone needs some of this
R is for Reading aloud – choose a good book and a comfortable place to sit
S is for Seeds and Suet – put out food for the birds and watch them eat
T is for Tent – make one from old blankets and chairs
U is for Unplugged – do a day with no TV
V is for Variety – try something new everyday
W is for Walk – take one in any weather (be sure to dress appropriately)
X is for Xylophone – make your own with glasses, water and a metal spoon
Y is for Year – make a calendar or scrapbook to remember the year
Z is for Zoo – visit the animals.  Visit Earthplace, Westport’s own nature center, complete with eagles, snakes, birds and hiking trails

December 2012 Calendar

December 9- Chanukah – Chanukah is a Jewish celebration, also known as the Festival of Lights; Chanukah starts at sundown today and lasts for eight days. It is traditional to exchange gifts or gelt (Yiddish for money) in the form of real coins or chocolate wrapped in gold foil, to play a game of put-and-take with a four sided top called a dreidel, and to light candles each night. https://blogs.aupairinamerica.com/cha/wp-content/uploads/sites/67/2012/07/menorah.jpg

December 21 – First day of winter Animals handle cold winter weather in a variety of ways. Some travel to a warmer climate. Others grow thicker fur coats so they can stay warm and active during the winter. Many animals hibernate during the coldest weather – they spend the warmer months eating and storing as much body fat as they can and then live off this extra weight as they sleep.

December 25 – Christmas Every family and culture has their own Christmas traditions. Embrace those of your host family and share some of your own.https://blogs.aupairinamerica.com/cha/wp-content/uploads/sites/67/2012/07/christmas-tree-background.jpg

December 26 – Kwanzaa –This festive, non-religious African-American celebration was started in 1966. It lasts for seven days. On each day a candle is lit and the day focuses on one of seven principles.

December 31 – New Year’s Eve – Westport celebrates New Year’s with First Night, a family friendly non alcoholic event, complete with fireworks at midnight on the Saugatuck River.  Purchase a button and then visit all of the town’s venues for free – listen to rock n roll, get face painted, dance, sing and have fun with your friends, family and/or host children.  Before the children go to bed, you and the children can choose simple “New Year Resolutions.” Or create a keepsake of 2012 by making a time capsule or a scrapbook of memories. Include what are cool, slang words, popular activities, clothes, games, names of popular songs or games, and a picture of the hottest toy. If you are making a time capsule, put a date on it and decide when they will open it – in a year, 5 or even 10. Don’t forget to include a photo of you and the children! Tomorrow, the first day of the New Year, is a federal holiday.  If you have to work tonight, watch the celebration on TV and think about what you would like to accomplish in 2013.

Au Pair Tips:

November 22nd is Thanksgiving, and many people consider it to be the beginning of the holiday season.

Driving – Traffic tends to be heavier around the Holidays.  My best advice is to leave earlier than normal and take your time.  Be the “bigger person” and allow that one last car to slip in ahead of you.  It may avoid an accident.  Remember au pairs can be asked to pay up to $500 of the deductible for an accident.

Healthy eating – It is the season for tempting baked goods and delicious desserts.  You are here for a cultural exchange, so try some of the traditional sweets your host family is offering and introduce them to some of your holiday favorites, but it is a good idea to downsize your portions – how much you eat is as important as what you eat.

Education – Please be sure to give me your education letters and certificates as soon as you receive them.  For those seeking an approved on line class,  the next UCLA course will run from January 14 – May 20, 2013 Registration is already open at www.uclaextension.edu/aupairs

Fun Things to do Around Town

The Stamford Nature Center (39 Scofieldtown Rd, Stamford 203-322-1646) has two great exhibits opening Nov. 17: Gingerbread houses (through Dec. 27)and  a Lego Train Exhibit ( through Jan 27) Admission includes a farm, complete with all farm animals.

Saturday, November 17 through Sunday, November 18 – Craft Westport

CraftWestport features 160 American craft artists including new exhibitors with contemporary works never before seen in Westport. In addition, there is a specialty food section as well as a teacup raffle of artist donated items.  Staples High School on North Avenue in Westport, CT 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (closes 5pm Sunday) Admission is $9, Seniors are $8, Children are free, Parking is free

Sunday, November 18 – UBS Thanksgiving Parade

For 19 years, Stamford’s annual holiday balloon parade, has become one of the largest events of its kind in the country, with giant helium balloons floating through Stamford Downtown. Last year it drew over 100,000 people. Among the many balloons, The Lorax and Red from Fraggle Rock will make their debut this year. Don’t miss our Master of Ceremonies, Alan Kalter from the Late Show with David Letterman. Award winning marching bands will add pazzaz to the day. The Westhill and Stamford High School marching bands will march along with many other bands.
Where: The parade route starts on Summer Street at Hoyt and ends on Atlantic Street, just a few short blocks from the Stamford Metro-North Railroad Station.
When: 12:00 PM
Who: All ages welcome
How: visit stamford-downtown.com for more info
Cost: free

Friday, November 23 through Saturday, November 24 – Special: Angelina Ballerina Celebration

As a warm up to the Westport Country Playhouse production of Angelina Ballerina, The Musical, the library will feature art projects, games and kids films to entertain over the holiday weekend.
Where: Westport Public Library
When: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Who: all ages
How: just come!
Cost: free
For more info: www.westportlibrary.org, or call 203-291-4810 or email kids@westportlibrary.org

Geography Awareness Week

November 11-17– Geography Awareness Week –This is the perfect week to take out a map or a globe and show the children where they live and where your home country is.  Have them mark on a map all of the places they have visited and where they would like to go. Visit the library for some books and stories about those places.   Prepare one of your favorite recipes from home and have them experience some foreign dishes.  Teach them a song from your native land or read them one of your favorite childhood stories.

Sunday, November 18 – UBS Thanksgiving Parade

For 19 years, Stamford’s annual holiday balloon parade, has become one of the largest events of its kind in the country, with giant helium balloons floating through Stamford Downtown. Last year it drew over 100,000 people. Among the many balloons, The Lorax and Red from Fraggle Rock will make their debut this year. Don’t miss the Master of Ceremonies, Alan Kalter from the Late Show with David Letterman. Award winning marching bands will add pazzaz to the day. The Westhill and Stamford High School marching bands will march along with many other bands.
Where: The parade route starts on Summer Street at Hoyt and ends on Atlantic Street, just a few short blocks from the Stamford Metro-North Railroad Station.
When: 12:00 PM
Who: All ages welcome
How: visit stamford-downtown.com for more info
Cost: free

November 6 – John Philip Sousa’s birthday – John Philip Sousa was born in 1854 and is famous for composing marches – classic American patriotic music. Make a marching band with the children and have a parade. Children love to make noise, so you don’t need fancy instruments. Try two pot lids as cymbals, a stick and an empty cardboard or plastic container as a drum. Sandpaper rubbed together makes a great noise too! Homemade flags or paper hats would dress up your parade even more!  Go to the library and get a recording of one of Sousa’s famous pieces and play it while the children are marching.  Is their a musician from your country who is famous for his marching music?